"In the Early 1920s, the Woman Question"

 Full s In the Early 1920s, the Woman Question Social and political power was achieved through the increase in the Confucian classic education in Han China. However, the Confucian principle did not allow women to have an equal level playing ground with the men, because women were generally seen as incapable or unworthy in terms of literary education as compared to the men. Moreover, little discussions about women are made in the Confucian classics, which reveal how women had little impact when it came to Confucian values. Most Confucians agreed the subservience of women to men as proper and equal. According to their perception, failure to restore good relationship between husband and wife regardless of the gender inequality would result to social disharmony and fallout in the rules of respectability (Chao, 1932). This was the only element of how women were viewed in the Chinese tradition. The Chinese society and the Confucian doctrines gave women a great deal of honor not only as mothers or mothers-in-law, but also gave them a very vital position and power in the society. Many extraordinary women gained literacy education and achieved high position in places of great influence and authority, regardless of social difficulties. A good example of a female Confucian was Ban Zhao (ca 45-116 CE), who was the younger sister of Ban Gu (32-92 CE). When Gu died, Zhao worked as an imperial historian under the emperor called Han Hedi (88-105 CE) and she completed the Han dynasty of her brother Han Annal. This is widely regarded as the second from Sima Qian’s historical work. Ban Zhao was also a legal advisor to Empress Deng and she dealt with matters pertaining to the state. Empress Deng later left power as regent to her infant son (106 CE). Ban Baiao (3-54 CE), a reputed writer and administrator gave birth to a daughter called Madame Ban. Who acquired her basic education from her literate mother while still young in her father’s house? Instead, her early life seemed to be quite predictable. She married and bore children at a tender age of 14, which made her to be ranked lowest in her husband’s family. Unfortunately, Ban Zhao lost her husband and she decided not to be married again; but instead decided to earn reputation, compositional grace and literacy pursuits, which finally made her imperial. She realized that Confucian text had little in matters of specifics and practical guidelines in daily lives of women. Ban Zhao seeks to feel this gap by logical set of rules for women, mainly young women in the society.